Ricochet sound producing toy



S. E. HADDEN RICOCHET SOUND PRODUCING TOY Jan. 17, 1961 Filed June 19, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l NUS.

INVENTOR, STA/V1. EY E. 194400.114

' a BY d Wanna/r2 \N Q ON Jan. 17, 1961 s. E. HADDEN RICOCHET SOUND PRODUCING TOY Filed June 19, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ST/NVLEV United States Patent RICOCHET SOUND PRODUCING TOY Stanley E. Hatlden, 8656 W. Fairway Drive, Baton Rouge, La.

Filed June 19, 1959, Set. No. 821,551

4 Claims. (21. 46-232) This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to a sounding toy in the form of a simulated firearm which is provided with means to produce a sound similar to that produced by the ricochet of a bullet.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved sound-producing toy which is simple in construction, which is relatively compact in size, and which produces a sound closely simulating the actual sound made by a firearm.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved sound-producing toy in the form of a simulated firearm, the toy being inexpensive to manufacture, being easy to operate, and being arranged so that there are no protruding parts to interfere with its use or to mar its appearance.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal cross sectional view taken through the rear portion of a toy rifle constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a rear end view of the toy firearm illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, 11 designates generally a toy rifle which is provided with sound producing means according to the present invention, the sound producing means being adapted to produce a noise similar to that produced by the ricochet of a bullet. Thus, the toy rifle 11 comprises a main body portion 12 having the cavity 13 in which is pivoted a trigger 14, simulating the trigger of an actual rifle. The trigger 14 is mounted on a transversely extending shaft element 15 and is biased in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure l, by a coiled spring 16 wound on the shaft and having a first transversely extending end portion 17 engaging an arm 18 integrally formed with trigger 14, and having a second end portion 19 anchored by a transversely extending pin 20 provided in the lower portion of the cavity 13.

A hammer member 21 is rotatably mounted in the upper portion of cavity 13, being mounted on a transversely extending shaft element 22. The hammer member 21 is biased in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, by a leaf spring 23 secured in the rear wall of the cavity 13 and engaging in a notch 24 formed in the lower rear portion of the hammer member 21. An aetuating pawl 25 is pivoted to the arm 18, extending upwardly and engaging a lug 26 formed on the forward edge portion of the hammer member 21. The pawl 25 is biased in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure l, by a coiled spring 27 mounted on the pivot shaft of the pawl 25. The lug 26 is designed so that when the trigger 14 is rotated beyond a certain point in a counter- 2,968,123 Patented Jan. 17, 1961 clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, the pawl 25 suddenly disengages from the lug 26, releasing the hammer 21 and allowing the spring 23 to rapidly rotate the hammer in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, whereby to detonate a paper cap placed in a recess 29 in which the striking end of the hammer 21 is receivable.

A bracket plate 30 is mounted in the forward portion of the hollow stock 31 which is secured to the rear end portion of the main body 12 of the toy. As shown in Figure 1, the bracket member 30 is secured to the forward portion of a side wall of the hollow stock 31 and is formed with the vertical, transversely extending flange portion 32. Secured to the rear portion of the side wall of the hollow stock 31 is a supporting plate 33 against which is engaged an angle bracket 34 provided with the transversely extending vertical flange portion 35 which is parallel and longitudinally aligned with the flange 32, as is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The plate member 33 is integrally formed with the transversely extending abutment lug 36, and rotatably engaged through the lug 36 is an adjusting screw 37 which is threadedly engaged through a thickened boss member 38 formed on the intermediate portion of the transversely extending flange element 35 of the generally L-shaped bracket member 34.

The longitudinally extending flange portion of the bracket member 34 slidably engages against the plate 33 and prevents rotation of the bracket member 34 when the adjusting screw 37 is rotated, as will be presently explained.

A plurality of vibratory strings 40, such as wire elements similar to those employed in musical instruments, are secured between the transversely extending members 32 and 35, the strings being disposed in parallel relationship to each other and at substantially radial distances from a common axis which coincide with the axis of the adjusting screw 37 and which extends longitudinally of the hollow stock member 31. Designated at 41 is an electric motor which is mounted in a generally U-shaped bracket 42 whose bight portion is secured to the longitudinally extending elements of the bracket member 30 and which is arranged with its shaft axis aligned with the axis of the adjusting screw 37. The shaft 43 of the electric motor 41 extends rotatably through a bearing sleeve 44 integrally formed in the central portion of the transversely extending flange element 32. Secured to the end portion of the shaft element 43 is a radial arm 45 on the end of which is mounted a resilient striking plate 46 which is located so that it successively engages the sounding strings 40 responsive to rotation of the arm 45. Thus, as shown in Figure 3, as the arm 45 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 3, the resilient striking plate 46 succesively engages the sounding strings 40 and strikes said strings, causing the strings to vibrate at a frequency which may be adjusted by means of the screw member 37. The screw member 37 is arranged to regulate the tightness of the strings 40, whereby the desired pitch may be obtained when the strings are struck by the striking arm 45.

The motor-supporting bracket structure includes a battery-supporting resilient cradle 48 in which a pair of flashlight batteries 50, 50 are receivable, the cradle member 48 overlying the forward portion of the vibratory strings 40, as shown in Figure 1. A contact lug 49 is provided on the cradle member 48, said lug engaging the casing of the rearmost flashlight battery 50 and providing an electrical connection between the casing and the bracket structure for the motor 41. One terminal of the motor is connected electrically to said bracket structure, whereby the motor is thus electrically connected at said one terminal to the casing of the rearmost flashlight battery 50. A resilient contact arm 51 is mounted on the forward wall portion of the hollow stock 31 and conductively engages the center terminal of the forward flashlight battery 50, whereby the batteries are connected in series between the contact arm 51 and the motor bracket structure.

Designated generally at 54 is a normally open switch which comprises a first resilient contact arm 55 and a cooperating second resilient contact arm 56, the contact arms being mounted between insulating blocks 57 and being disposed in a longitudinally extending cavity 58 formed in the rear end portion of the main body 12. The resilient contact arm 55 extends forwardly to a position overlying the end of the trigger arm 18 and is arranged so that when the trigger arm is rotated, responsive to rotation of the trigger 14 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, the resilient contact arm 55 engages the opposing contact arm 56, Whereby the switch is closed. The contact arm 56 is connected by a wire 59 to the stationary contact member 51. The remaining contact arm 55 is connected by a wire 60 to the remaining terminal of the motor 41. Thus, when the trigger 14 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, the closure of switch 54 connects the series-connected batteries to the motor 41, energizing said motor and causing the striking arm 45 to rotate. The arm 45 thus drives the yieldable striking plate 46 successively past the strings 40, causing the strings to be vibrated by the engagement of the yieldable plate 46 therewith. Vibration of the strings produces a sound of substantial volume, and the screw 37 is' adjusted so that the tension in the strings causes the sound to have a pitch similar to that of a ricocheting bullet.

Obviously, the screw 37 may be adjusted so that the sound resulting from rotation of the striking arm 45 may have any desired pitch within the physical range available for the strings 40.

The rear wall 65 of the hollow stock 31 is provided with a central aperture 66 aligned with and affording access to the adjusting screw 37. The screw 37 is provided with the slotted head 67 which may be engaged by a conventional screw driver.

The hollow stock 31 is preferably made of two cooperating mating segments 68 and 69, as shown in Figure 3, so that the stock may be opened by removing the segment 68, thus affording access to the sounding mechanism for necessary repairs or replacement of parts thereof.

As above explained, the toy is also provided with means for firing paper caps, so that a combination of sounds may be produced, namely, the explosion of the paper cap, followed by the sound simulating the ricochet of a bullet, responsive to the rotation of the trigger 14 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1.

It will be noted that the strings 40 and the end plates 32 and 35 define an elongated, cage-like enclosure, and that the shaft 43 projects inside said enclosure, whereby the arm 45 is located within the enclosure.

While a specific embodiment of an improved sounding toy has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sounding toy of the character described, a hollow main body, a plurality of elongated sounding strings, means securing said strings under tension in said body in parallel relation and at substantially equal radial distances from a common axis, whereby said strings define an elongated enclosure, an electric motor, means mounting said motor in said body on said axis, said motor being provided with a shaft element extending along said axis and inside said elongated enclosure, a rigid arm mounted on said shaft element, a resilient striking plate secured to the end of said arm and extending substantially radially therefrom, said striking plate being of sufiicient length to strike the strings responsive to rotation of the shaft element, a source of current, a switch on the body, and means connecting said motor to said source through said switch.

2. In a sounding toy of the character described, a hollow main body, a plurality of elongated sounding strings, means securing said strings under tension in said body in parallel relation and at substantially equal radial distances from a common axis, whereby said strings define an elongated enclosure, an electric motor, means mounting said motor in said body on said axis, said motor being provided with a shaft element extending along said axis and inside said elongated enclosure, a rigid arm mounted on said shaft element, a resilient striking plate secured to the end of said arm and extending substantially radially therefrom, said striking plate being of sufiicient length to strike the strings responsive to rotation of the shaft element, a battery mounted in said body, a trigger member pivoted to said body, a switch in the body controlled by said trigger member, and means connecting said motor to said battery through said switch.

3. In a sounding toy of the character described, a body simulating a firearm and having a pivoted trigger and a hollow stock, a plurality of spaced elongated sounding strings, screw-threaded means adjustably securing said strings under tension in said stock in parallel relation and at substantially equal radial distances from a common axis, whereby said strings define an elongated enclosure, an electric motor, means mounting said motor in said stock on said axis, said motor being provided with a shaft element extending along said axis and inside said elongated enclosure, a rigid arm mounted on said shaft element, a resilient striking plate secured to the end of said arm and extending substantially radially therefrom, said striking plate being of sufiicient length to strike the strings responsive to rotation of the shaft element, a battery mounted in said stock, a normally open switch mounted in said body, means on the trigger operatively engageable with said switch to close same responsive to rotation of the trigger, and means connecting said motor to said battery through said switch.

4. In a sounding toy of the character described, a body simulating a firearm and having a pivoted trigger, a hollow stock and means to detonate a paper cap responsive to rotation of said trigger, a plurality of spaced elongated sounding strings, screw-threaded means adjustably securing said strings under tension in said stock in parallel relation and at substantially equal radial distances from a common axis, whereby said strings define an elongated enclosure, an electric motor, means mounting said motor in said stock on said axis, said motor being provided with a shaft element extending along said axis and inside said elongated enclosure, a rigid arm mounted on said shaft element, a resilient striking plate secured to the end of said arm and extending substantially radially therefrom, said striking plate being of sufficient length to strike the strings responsive to rotation of the shaft element, a battery mounted in said stock, a normally open switch mounted in said body, means on the trigger operatively engageable with said switch to close same responsive to rotation of the trigger, and means connecting said motor to said battery through said switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,660,000 Strayer Nov. 24, 1953 2,751,710 Pace June 26, 1956 2,814, 06; Qrvis 1957 

